Sheridan is looking for an outstanding individual to join our faculty team. The incumbent will be a key research lead and collaborative participant in development of an institutional and regional centre for research, teaching and learning, and commercialization activities focused on virtual agents (Embodied Conversational Agents), with application in entertainment media as well as areas of social and individual well-being.

The incumbent will have expertise and interest in machine/deep learning approaches within applied computing, with a focus on the area of intelligent situated agents. Work over the first two years will primarily include research projects with industry partners and academic collaborators from within Sheridan and leading universities. The intent of these projects is to develop the capacity for virtual humans - believable and intelligent 3D animated characters capable of real-time verbal and nonverbal behaviour (gestures, facial expressions, speech content, and prosody) within diverse dynamic social situations for multiplatform delivery in gaming, virtual and augmented reality, and other interactive screen experiences.

The incumbent will also be expected to complement research with teaching within the area of applied computing. Sheridan faculty provide academic leadership to research, programs and courses within their areas of expertise and contribute to a learning-centred environment, where students can develop to their full potential. The incumbent will play a lead role in facilitating engagement of other faculty and students within Sheridan in virtual human research and learning. The incumbent should be a superior researcher with keen interest and capacity for sharing this knowledge with next generation researchers, as well as possess a passion for leadership in teaching and learning.

Specific Responsibilities:

Plan and conduct research within the area of virtual humans/intelligent situated agents

Establish test beds for assessment of existing virtual human technologies and platforms and development of enhancements and new approaches

Work collaboratively with diverse groups in a team-based approach: other Sheridan faculty and students; artists and technical research leads in areas including motion capture, computer modelling, and animation; domain experts within social sciences and applied health; industry, community, and academic partners

Create an effective environment for research and applied learning which includes defined learning outcomes and that accommodates students’ diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, experiences and learning styles

Define, evaluate and validate learning outcomes for research activities and courses

Ensure that learning outcomes are current, relevant and reflective of best practices within the relevant professional/program disciplines

Design appropriate strategies and tools for facilitating and assessing student research and learning that are consistent with learning outcomes, invitational and reflective of best practices in teaching and learning

Contribute to writing/publication of research activities and writing of research proposals

Other duties as required

Qualifications:

PhD completed or in process in Computer Science or related area with a focus on artificial intelligence/machine/deep learning, with a minimum of 2 years of research experience

Sheridan welcomes diversity in the workplace and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including visible minorities, Indigenous People, and persons with disabilities. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Sheridan is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. At any stage of the hiring process, Human Resources will work with applicants requesting accommodation.

Note: copies of educational credentials are requested at the time of an interview. As a condition of employment, Sheridan requires confirmation of educational credentials in the form of an official Canadian transcript or an official evaluation of international credentials which determines Canadian equivalency.